Kat Sully Arrives in Colorado Springs
by PrincessTriSarahTops
Summary: One afternoon a stranger rides into Colorado Springs and hitched up outside of Dr. Mike's Clinic. Dr. Mike quickly learns that she's no stranger at all, but in fact Sully's younger sister, Kathryn. Sully is furious when he finds his sister is staying at the homestead. And it's up to Dr. Mike to smooth things over. (Starts between Running Ghost and The Prisoner)
1. Chapter 1

_Nineteen year old Byron Sully rode into town with his wife and his wagon. Abagail Bray-Sully had straight dark hair and soft brown eyes. She was a perfect combination of her mother and father. Strong but fair, smart but respectful and Sully had never seen any woman so beautiful. She wasn't just beautiful on the outside either, she was interesting and complex. Everything a woman should be. Sully considered himself truly lucky to have found someone so special to share the rest of his life with._

" _Why is every man in town gathered by the old saloon?" Abigail questioned her husband, pulling him from his thoughts._

" _I'm not sure." Sully furrowed his brow. He pulled his wagon to a stop. "I suppose I could look into it while you get what you need from your father's store." Abigail nodded in agreement as her husband helped her out of their wagon._

" _Daddy will come around to you eventually, you know." She insisted before heading towards Loren Bray's store._

" _Unlikely." Sully grunted when he knew she was out of earshot. Sighing, he made his way over to the old saloon. Jake Slicker, the Barber's young apprentice, was standing towards the back of the crowd trying to see over the heads of several men. "Hey Jake, what's going on here?" Jake looked slightly embarrassed when he realized Sully was standing beside him._

" _Oh, uh, you don't want nothing to do with this." Jake assured the married man._

" _And why is that?" Sully put his hands on his hips._

" _Word is someone's come into town to reopen the Old Saloon, and he's brought girls!" The apprentice barber explained._

" _Girls?" Sully repeated._

" _Yeah, you know,_ _girls_ _." Jake wagged his eyebrows suggestively._

" _Oh, girls." Sully nodded with understanding. He crossed his arms over his chest not sure how he felt about prostitution coming to Colorado Springs. Though he supposed lots of towns must have a saloon with such entertainment. Besides it wasn't as if_ _he'd_ _be spending anytime in there. "I've got to be getting back to Abigail." Sully told Jake. As he turned to leave a man with long curly hair stepped out of the saloon's entrance._

" _Men of Colorado Springs, My name is Hank Lawson, and these are my girls!" The long haired man stepped aside and a parade of girls exited the building._

" _Well there goes the neighborhood, Aye Sully?" Jake scoffed._

" _I 'spose." Sully mumbled. "I really gotta be getting back…" He tried to leave again, but one of the girls caught his attention._

* * *

 _Inside the Saloon a gaggle of half dressed women waited on their cue from Hank. They'd all been living at the saloon for about a week, but Hank hadn't let any of the girls outside so as to "Not spoil the surprise." It had been a long time since Hank had moved his business to a new town, but he seemed so sure that Colorado Springs would be a good place to settle especially with so many new women in his grip. Kat was one of those newer girls. She was just sixteen years old, having met Hank less than a month ago when he offered to take her out west. She knew what kind of business he ran and the sort of company he kept, but rather than being scared the idea had excited her. Of course she hadn't really had time to put much thought into it but that didn't trouble her at all._

" _You look nervous, are you alright?" Myra, an older girl who had been with Hank for some time, asked Kathryn._

" _Oh, I'm fine." The younger woman answered her. "It's sort of thrilling that we finally get to see the town though isn't it?"_

" _I suppose it is." Myra replied quietly. She saw a lot of herself in Kat. A young girl with no family to speak of. She'd become smitten with Hank's kindness and the promise of adventures out west. All she had to do in return was give herself over to anyone who could pay. The sixteen year old girl didn't even blink before signing the contract with Hank. She had started training for work that afternoon. Myra didn't have time to mull over her thoughts, though, as Hank waved her and the others forward._

* * *

 _Kat stumbled out into the sunlight, which seemed excessively bright when compared to the dimly lit Saloon. Blinking in the light she took in the sight of at least twenty men who were leering at her and her friends. Immediately she pushed her shoulders back like Myra had taught her. She turned to the side and hiked up her skirt a little just like Hank had asked. Then all of a sudden someone was calling out her Name._

" _Kathryn Jane Sully!" She whipped her head in the direction the voice had come from. It was a tall young man with neatly cropped hair and kind eyes. She'd recognize him anywhere even though they'd been apart for eight years. Jake stared back at Sully with a gaping mouth. Somehow the straight-laced young man with a beautiful wife knew one of the town's new prostitutes. Sully didn't explain anything to the young Barber as he pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "Kathryn, what the hell are you doing?" Sully called out once he reached the porch of the Saloon. Kat stomped across the porch of the Saloon with a scowl on her face._

" _Go away Byron." She ordered, but Sully didn't move._

" _You know this fella, Kat?" Hank asked, he stepped in front of her protectively. This wasn't his idea of a flawless opening for the new Saloon, but he wasn't going to let some blowhard hurt one of his girls on the first day._

" _Yeah." Kat said with crossed arms. "We have the same Ma and Pa." Hank looked back at her with confusion._

" _You ain't never told me you had a brother." He looked worried. Kat's brother could mean trouble. Hundreds of things can go wrong when a whore's family gets involved._

" _That's because I ain't got a brother." Kat assured him. Hank visibly relaxed. "And I told you to go away Byron." She added in Sully's direction. She then marched away and resumed her position next to Myra. Sully lurch forward to charge after her but Hank stopped him._

" _You heard the lady." The Saloon owner said firmly._


	2. Chapter 2

The sleepy town of Colorado Springs, Colorado was startled by the thundering sound of hooves kicking up dust as a lone woman rode into town on her horse. She was dressed peculiarly with her white cotton shirt, brown corset and brown leather pants. Her pants were tucked into a pair of dark brown cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat rested atop her wild frizzy blonde hair. Dr. Michaela Quinn, the town's female Physician was standing outside of her clinic with her daughter, Coleen, when the stranger jumped from her horse.

"Good morning!" The stranger greeted them cheerily as she tied up her horse.

"Good Morning indeed." Dr. Mike smiled.

"Is Mrs. Cooper home?" The stranger asked. Dr. Quinn and her daughter frowned. The stranger frowned back.

"No, I'm afraid Mrs. Cooper isn't at home. I'm very sorry to tell you that she passed away." The Doctor explained solemnly.

"Well I'm very sorry to hear that." The stranger replied earnestly. She tugged her hat off her head as she spoke. "Mrs. Cooper was always so nice to me. One of the few folk in town who was."

"You're from Colorado Springs?" Coleen asked curiously.

"Not originally." The Stranger explained. "Not really sure where I'm from exactly. But I lived here when I was about sixteen."

"I see." Dr. Mike replied. "So what brings you back into town?"

"Sorry, I s'pose I should have introduced myself." The stranger apologized. She settled her hat back on her head and offered out her hand. "My name is Kat, and I came to town lookin' for my brother." Dr. Mike shook the stranger's hand and introduced herself.

"I'm Doctor Michaela Quinn. And this is my daughter Coleen. I promised to take care of Charlotte's children after she died and we have since transformed her boarding house into a medical clinic." The Doctor explained.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Quinn, and it's nice to see you again Miss Coleen. Course I don't expect you to remember me. You couldn't have been older than four or five when I left town." Kat smiled as she remembered Mrs. Cooper and how she seemed to have a way with people, even children.

"You said you came to town looking for your brother." Dr. Quinn interjected, not wanting the conversation to linger on Charlotte Cooper much longer. "What was his name? I'm relatively new to the town, but perhaps I know him?"

"Oh I'm sure you do." Kat chuckled. "He and his wife live on the Homestead just outside of town. Her father owns the General Store."

"You mean Mr. Bray's store?" Coleen questioned. She knew that there was only one general store in town.

"That's the one." Kat nodded. "Mr. Bray's daughter Abigail married my brother Byron."

"Ma, I thought Sully married Mr. Bray's daughter." Colleen looked up at Dr. Mike.

"He did." Dr. Mike replied quietly. She tried to maintain her composure since Kat obviously didn't know that Abigail had died in childbirth. "Byron is Sully's first name Colleen."

"Oh." Colleen continued to frown as she too realized the information Kat was missing.

"Well, you must be tired for your long journey here." Dr. Quinn said, clapping her hands together. "Why don't you come inside and I'll pour you a glass of water."

"A glass of water sounds just fine ma'am." Kat agreed. She followed Dr. Mike and Colleen into the clinic. At Dr. Quinn's suggestion she also sat down in an open chair by the doctor's desk. "I appreciate the drink Doc." She added, raising the glass in thanks. "But, I've been around enough people to know, that you are hiding something from me. And I'd _really_ 'preciate know exactly what that is."

"Yes, of course." Dr. Mike sat in her own chair behind the desk. "Colleen, why don't you see if you can find Mathew and Brian?"

"Sure." Coleen nodded and left the clinic.

"I'm very sorry to be the one to tell you this." Dr. Quinn began. "But as there's no way to tell when exactly Sully will be coming back in to town, I'm afraid the responsibility falls on me." Kat waited patiently for the doctor to continue. Obviously whatever she had to say was very important. "Your brother's wife, Abigail, died during childbirth." Kat gave an audible gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to find words.

"I didn't know." Was all she could manage.

"Of course you didn't." Dr. Quinn said in her most sympathetic voice. "There was no way you could have known."

"No, I 'spose not." Kat began to cry. "But I could've stayed in town like she'd asked me." She sat in Dr. Mike's chair for several minutes lost in guilt and grief.

* * *

"What in the hell?" Hank mumbled as the stranger rode into town. He and Jake Slicker had been talking on the porch of the Saloon when the woman had come stampeding through.

""Maybe it's a friend of Dr. Mike's." Jake suggested as the woman dismounted."They rode right up to the clinic."

"Just what we need. Another pesky woman from Boston." Hank scoffed. The two men squinted into the distance as they tried to place the newcomer's face. They watch Dr. Mike and Coleen talking with the stranger. It was only once she removed her hat that Jake and Hank recognized her. "Well I never thought we'd see _her_ back in Colorado Springs." The Saloon owner chuckled.

"What's _she_ doing back here?" Jake demanded with crossed arms. Both men scowled as Michaela, Kat and Coleen entered the clinic.

"What are you two staring at?" Loren called as he walked over to the Saloon. "I came over for drink, and I find you two squawking like a pair of hens."

"Sully's sister's back in town." Jake replied moodily before walking back over to the Barber's shop.

* * *

"I think I remember Sully's sister." Mathew said as he walked with Colleen and Brian back towards the clinic. "She used to work for Hank."

"Is that why she left town?" Colleen asked.

"I don't remember." Mathew explain. "And don't you two go askin' her neither. It might upset her or worse Sully."

"We won't say nothin'." Brian promised.

"Good." Mathew replied firmly before swinging open the door of the clinic. The three children stumbled upon Dr. Quinn attempting to comfort a crying Kathryn. At the sight of Brian, Colleen and Mathew, Kat immediately tried to dry her tears.

"Look at me. I've worked myself in quite a state." She tried to smile.

"Well you've had every reason to." Dr. Mike assured her. "I have an idea, why don't you come home with us?"

"Oh I couldn't." Kat insisted immediately.

"Of course you can. There's no telling when Sully will be back and you'll need a place to stay while you're here." The doctor insisted just as firmly.

"Dr. Mike, maybe Miss Kathryn would rather stay here at the clinic." Mathew suggested. "She might not feel comfortable at the Homestead."

"I wouldn't want to impose on your home or your clinic Doc." Kat said rising to her feet. "I'm sure you've been having enough trouble being a woman Doctor in this ol' town. The last thing you need is to be gettin' involved with me. I'm afraid I've got a bit of a bad reputation here, I best be getting on my way ma'am."

"Oh but you wouldn't be imposing." Dr. Mike insisted. "The house and the land it's built on technically belongs to your brother, so they way I see it, we're the ones imposing."

"Please come home with us Miss Kathryn. I'll cook something special for dinner." Colleen offered.

"How could I possibly say no to such kindness?" Kat agreed at last.


	3. Chapter 3

Jake watched through the window of the Barber Shop as Dr. Mike and her children climbed onto their wagon. He stepped out onto his porch as the wagon pulled out of town, Kathryn following behind on her own horse. He took a swig of whisky from the bottle in his hand. Of all the people for Kathryn Sully to meet on her first day back into town, he should have known it would be Michaela Quinn. Those two would get along perfectly.

* * *

 _Jake was sharpening the razors at the Barber's Shop when the bell above the main door rang. The Apprentice Barber looked over his shoulder and spotted one of Hank's young girls waiting awkwardly in the doorframe._

 _"Oh hey," He greeted the girl, and put down the razor he was cleaning. "You're Sully's sister right?"_

 _"It's just Kat please." She replied politely. "And I haven't been Byron's sister for quite some time."_

 _"Well, Kat, come on in." Jake invited her in. "What can I help you with?"_

 _"I have a bit of a headache, Hank sent me over. He said the Barber might be able to..."_

 _"Well Ray is out of town for the day, and I'm just his apprentice." Jake explained._

 _"So no one is going to get any doctoring done on account of Mr. Ray being out of town?" Kathryn asked with her left hand on her hip._

 _"Well, ah, no." Jake snorted. "No I suppose that won't do. I can give you some aspirin for your headache." He immediately turned to the cabinet where the barber kept his few medical supplies. Kat settled herself in the Barber's chair while he fixed up the water and aspirin mix. "Drink this down." He instructed once the mixture was completed._

 _"Thank you, Mr..." Kat began, she took the glass from Jake._

 _"Slicker." He supplied. "My name's Jake Slicker."_

 _"Well Mr. Slicker, I appreciate your help." Kathryn finished off her drink and kissed Jake on the cheek._

 _"Anytime." Jake gulped and she sauntered out of the shop._

* * *

Sully looked down at his hands, they were calloused and bleeding from the work he'd been doing that morning. He thought about going to visit Cloud Dancing for help, but the town was closer and it would be a good excuse to see Michaela again. Not that he was lookin' for a reason to see her or anything. So the Mountain Man strolled into town with Wolf at his side. He nodded politely at a few of the townsfolk he passed on his way to the clinic, but otherwise he didn't say much. He reached the door to Dr. Mike's clinic and rang the bell like always. She didn't answer. _Maybe she's doing a procedure._ Sully thought. He gently pushed on the clinic door expecting it to open easily, when it didn't, Sully became concerned. It wasn't like her to leave the clinic in the middle of the day.

"Dr. Mike?" He called loudly. There was no answer. Sully banged hard on the door. "Dr. Mike?!" He hollered again.

"She ain't there!" Hank shouted from his front door.

"But it's the middle of the day." Sully pointed out. "What she leave for?"

"It's not a what, so much as a who." Hank chuckled. "A crazy woman came riding into town, rode right up to Michaela's door and then the two of 'em headed out of town with those three brats of hers."

"You have no idea who she left with?" Sully put his hands on his hips.

"Now I didn't say that." Hank corrected him with a smile. "I just said it was a crazy woman."

"Well who was it then?" Sully demanded with a forced calmness.

"You're sister." Jake answered. He'd been drawn outside by all Sully's shouting and when he saw who it was doing the shouting, well the Barber simply had to get a better look.

"Kathryn?" Sully breathed, his voice somewhere between angry and sad. "You're sure it was her?"

"Of all the people in town, I think Jake would know her best." Hank laughed before returning to his Saloon.

"I had no idea she was coming." Jake insisted.

"I'm sure." Sully nodded bitterly. "No one ever really knows what that woman is up to." He growled before setting off for the homestead.

* * *

The homestead somehow looked completely different yet exactly the same as it had been when Kathryn saw it last. The outside looked exactly the same, each board still exactly where Sully had lovingly placed it years ago. Dr. Quinn had even started up a garden right where Abigail had been growing one of her own. Inside the home Mathew had started up a fire in the fireplace that was also the same. As a matter of fact almost all of the furniture was in the same place, except for a curtained off area in the corner that hid Colleen and Brian's beds. The main difference was the feeling that Dr. Mike and her children had brought into the home. They provided a very modern but still loving environment. It was just enough to remind Kat that this was no longer the home her brother had shared with his wife.

"It must seem strange, seeing the house like this." Dr. Mike apologized.

"It's bittersweet, I admit." Kathryn sighed. "But you can never truly move forward while you're looking back."

"Sound words of wisdom." Dr. Quinn nodded.

"You collect a lot of wisdom while traveling the country." Kat shrugged.

"You've traveled the _whole_ country?" Colleen gaped.

"Well most of it." Kat corrected. She was about to list off some of the places she'd been when there was a loud knock on the front door.

"Dr. Mike!" A deep voice called from the other side of the door. "Dr. Mike, it's Sully." Michaela and Kat exchanged a look before the doctor opened the door. "Where is she?" Sully demanded before even stepping into the house.

"Good Afternoon to you too, Sully." Dr. Mike growled at her best friend. Sully ignored her, marching right over to his sister. Kathryn on the other hand didn't quite believe what she was seeing. Instead of the short well maintained hair he used to have, Byron was sporting long wavy blonde hair. She never even knew he had wavy hair. And his state of dress! He was dressed like an Indian! Buckskin pants with leather pouches hanging everywhere and a tomahawk hanging from his belt.

"What are you doing back here?" Sully snapped.

"I figured it's been long enough." Kat replied calmly.

"Long enough for who?" Her brother spat. "I want you out of this house. You're not welcome here."

"Now wait just a minute!" Dr. Mike rushed in angrily. "This may be your house, but this is my home and Kat is welcome to stay here as long as she likes. And you should be ashamed of yourself. That's no way to treat your family."

"She's no family of mine." Sully told Dr. Mike before walking out the door, Wolf on his heels. Kathryn stood at the doorway and shouted after her brother.

"I'm not goin' anywhere!" She promised. "You won't be able to get rid of me so easily." Sully didn't answer. He didn't so much as turn around before disappearing out of sight. Kathryn tried to steady her breathing as she felt tears on her cheeks once again. She felt a hand on her should and turned to see Dr. Mike frowning at the woods.

"I've never seen Sully so angry." The doctor said. She gave her new friend a comforting squeeze on the shoulder.

"Well I tend to bring that out in him." Kat replied bitterly. "I'm sorry we caused such a scene."

"Oh don't worry about that." Dr. Mike assured her. "Brothers and Sisters fight. I have four sisters of my own and there is always someone at odds with someone else. The important thing, is that you make up. Come on now, let's get ready for supper." The two women went back inside the house where Colleen was cooking dinner and Mathew and Brian were setting the table. Brian set down the plates he was holding and gave Kat a hug.

"I'll be your brother Miss Kat." The young boy offered.

"I appreciate the offer Brian." Kat smiled at him. "But I think I need to fix things with my own brother first."


	4. Chapter 4

Dr. Mike insisted that Kathryn spend the night at the homestead. She tried to argue against it, but it wasn't exactly as if she had somewhere else to stay. Mathew offered up his bed in the barn without hesitation claiming that he and Brian could easily share for the night. He remembered all the help his Mother used to give Kat when she was still working for Hank. And he knew that she'd want him to do the same. So the following morning found the doctor, her three children and the stranger together at the breakfast table.

"Thank you again for everything you all have done for me." Kat said as the family finished their breakfast.

"It was no trouble." Dr. Mike assured her.

"Brian, Colleen, we've got to get you to school." Mathew told his younger siblings.

"Let me just finish the dishes." Colleen replied, gathering up the plates around the table.

"I'll take care of them Colleen." Kat offered. "It's the least I can do."

"Well, are you sure?" Colleen placed the plates back on the table uncertainly.

"Yes. It's not like I've got much to get up to anyway." She assured the young girl before scooping up the plates.

"I have to go into town to open up the clinic." Dr. Mike explained. "Why don't I help you with the dishes and then we could ride into town together."

Kathryn agreed and after breakfast was cleared away, the children went to school and the women rode into town in Dr. Quinn's Wagon. Kat fidgeted nervously as she tried to vocalize a question she'd been wanting to ask since she arrive. She tried to think of a casual way to bring up the person in her mind, but there wasn't much conversation in the wagon.

"Say Doc," Kat began awkwardly.

"Yes?" Dr. Mike waited patiently. She suspected there was something her new friend had wanted to ask her since they'd left the homestead that morning.

"Byron's not the only one I came to town lookin' for." Kat confessed slowly. "I've been too afraid to ask knowing what happened to Mrs. Cooper and Abigail and all."

"Well, as I've said before I'm still new to the town, but I can help you find them if I know who they are."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Kat smiled. "A while back there was a Barber's Apprentice named Jake Slicker…"

"Oh I know Mr. Slicker all right." Dr. Mike assured her. Kat noticed there was a sudden hint of bitterness in her voice. "He's _still_ the town Barber. Though I can't imagine he'd be any more welcoming than Sully was."

"Jake?" Kat remarked with wide eyes. "He was always very kind to me and I was…sort of sweet on him."

"Perhaps he's changed since you were here last." Dr. Quinn suggested. The wagon pulled up in front of the clinic and the doctor cast a reproachful glance at the Barber's Shop. "Mr. Slicker is very good friends with the Saloon owner Hank. He's that man there, leaning on the porch." She pointed Hank out in a crowd of men who were chatting on the porch.

"I know who he is." Kat growled. "I used to work for 'im."

"Oh I see." Dr. Mike replied. It was all she could think to say.

"Like I said Doc," Kat said as she scrambled out of the wagon. "I _used to_ work for him."

"I'm not judging, you understand?" Dr. Quinn added with concern.

"It wouldn't bother me even if you were." Kat smiled. "I'm gunna stop in on Jake. I'll come by the clinic in a bit if that's alright with you."

"You are always welcome." Dr. Mike assured her.

And with that, Kat marched off towards the Barber's Shop. She ignored Hank, who whistled as she passed by. She planned on ignoring that man an awful lot. Especially if she was going to stay friends with Dr. Quinn who worked just across the street. Kat watched as Loren Bray exited the Barber's Shop alone. She was hoping for a private conversation with Jake and the thought hadn't even occurred to her that he might have customers already. Peeking in through the window she was relieved to find Jake alone, sharpening his razors just like he'd been when they first met. While his back was still turned towards the door, Kat stepped in; causing the bell over it to jingle.

"Excuse me sir but I've got a bit of a headache." She dramatically repeated the first words she ever said to him.

"Haven't you heard?" Jake replied bitterly without looking up from his work. "The towns got a fancy new Lady Doc now. Go see her."

"See, I've met the lady Doc already." Kat shrugged. "And while she's nice enough, I'd rather talk to you. For old time's sake."

"Kathryn." Jake said her name with the same loving and dreaminess he used to and for just a second he was in love with her all over again. Then he remembered everything she'd put him through and the anger he'd been building up for years rushed back. He put down the razor in his hand and turned to face her. "What are you doing back here?" He spat in a cold voice Kat had never heard before.

"I missed you." She said in a whispered reply.

"Missed me?" Jake repeated with disbelief. "It's been years! You couldn't have missed me too much! You left town in the middle of the night! And ya didn't even stop to say good-bye on your way to where ever the hell it was you disappeared to! No, you didn't miss me. You ran out of places to run away to, so you came running back here! Well sorry, I'm a different man now and I'm not in the business of taking care of whores no more." Kat felt hot tears crawling out of her eyes as she began to sob. For a moment she was too angry to speak and then she was choking on her tears.

"You know," She sniffled. "I expected that kind of talk from my brother and from Hank, but never from you. I knew you'd be angry but this Jake, this isn't you. You're...you're a monster." She whipped away tears and more quickly took their place. "And if that's who you've become, then I never want to see you again."

"Then get out." Jake told her calmly. Kat stormed out of Barber's Shop and walked right into Hank.


	5. Chapter 5

"Where you going in such a hurry?" Hank questioned, catching Kat at the elbows.

"Just leave me alone." She snarled trying to tug her arms from his grasp. He let go of her, but still stood directly in her path.

"Hey, are you crying?" Hank lifted her chin up with two of his fingers.

"What do you care?" Kat tore herself from away from him, now determined not to cry in front of him. "Just leave me alone, please."

"Tell me why you're crying first." Hank insisted. "Was it Slicker? You can't take too much of what he says seriously these days. He's a drunk."

"Like you're much better." The woman scoffed at him. "Get out of my way Hank."

"Hank, I believe Kathryn asked you to move out of her way." Dr. Mike said calmly. She approach the two in the middle of the street.

"Nobody asked you Michaela." Hank rolled his eyes. It seemed he went through the same song and dance with that meddlesome woman every day. Sticking her nose where it didn't belong. He wished she'd quit and move back to Boston already.

"What seems to be the trouble?" A man's voice asked from behind Hank and Dr. Mike.

"Ain't no trouble Sully." Hank assured the mountain man as he turned to face him. "I just saw your sister here coming out of Jake's. She was all worked up, just wanted to check on her is all."

"Well you've checked on her." Sully replied shortly. "Kathryn, walk with me?" Glad to be rid of Hank, Kat followed after her brother willingly."I thought I told you to leave." Her brother said as they walked out of town together.

"You did. Last night, and eleven years ago when I left town for the first time." Kat remembered the night she has left town as vividly as if it had happened yesterday, and often times it haunted her in her nightmares.

* * *

 _An eighteen year old Kat sat across the table from the then nineteen year old Abigail. Abby and Kat had quickly become friends much to Sully's dismay. That night, while they waited for him to return home for dinner, they saytat the table chatting about the people in town._

 _"I saw your Pa today." Kat supplied. "He gave Mathew Cooper a nickel's worth of candy for free. On account of Mathew helping him unload some things from the stage."_

 _"I wish he'd just let Byron and I help him with things like that." Abigail sighed. "He ain't getting any younger, and its absolutely ridiculous that he won't talk to use."_

 _"He'll come around." Kat assured her friend. "Think of how long it took for me! When I first came to town I wanted nothing to do with my brother, but we get on just fine now. Sure it took two years but..."_

 _"That's different." Abby pointed out. "You'd thought he'd abandoned you, which in a way he kind of did."_

 _"Don't matter. The point is we're family, as we ain't never leaving each other again." Kat assured her sister-in-law._

 _"Cept when you go back to the Saloon at night." Abigail frowned._

 _"Oh now we talked about this."Kat hissed. "I like my job."_

 _"That's what you keep sayn'. And it might have been true when you came to town, but now I'm not so sure. You have Jake and you have us. You're not alone anymore."_

 _"I've said this a hundred times, Jake and I, we're just friends." Kat insisted. "And while I like coming up to visit you and Byron, you two really ought to be starting a family of your own. You don't need me in here all the time. I've got to take care of myself know."_

 _"You don't have to worry about that no more." Sully assured her. Both women jumped. They'd been so invested in their conversation, neither of them had heard or seen him come home._

 _"What are you talking about?" His sister asked, staring back at him from over the back of her chair._

 _"I've settled your debt with Hank." Sully explained with a smile. "Your contracts paid off."_

 _"There was three years left on that contract." Kat said, jumping to her feet. "It would have cost everything you own."_

 _"More than that." Sully answered. "But I borrowed about half of it from a friend. You're all paid up. I watched Hank tear up the contract, and I got all your things. He said there wasn't no need for you to ever come back."_

 _"Why would you go and do a thing like that?" Kat snapped._

 _"For you, why the hell else would I do it?" Sully growled._

 _"I loved my job!" His sister yelled._

 _"It's not a job Kat!" Her brother barked back at her. "It's not even work! You can't stay a whore forever."_

 _"And that's just how you see me isn't it?" Kat replied coldly. "I'm not your sister, I'm a whore. just another lost woman for you to rescue. Because that's what you do isn't it? You saved Abby from her arranged marriage. You think you can just swoop in and rescue people. Sometimes, people don't need any rescuing!"_

 _"Kathryn, I was just tryin' to..."_

 _"Just tryin' to ruin my life more than you already have?" Kat spat._

 _"Ruin_ _your life_? _All you've done since you've come into this town is make my life impossible! Everyone always whispering behind my back..."_

 _"Well if I've been such an inconvenience maybe I ought to leave." Kat said with her hands on her hips._

 _"Well Maybe you should!" Sully shouted._

 _"Byron!" Abigail jumped her feet, interjecting for the first time. "Be reasonable!"_

 _"It's alright Abby." Kat told her friend. "Ain't no reason for me to stay where I'm not wanted." She picked up her suitcase which Sully had left by the door, and left the Homestead._

* * *

"You know, the Cheyenne believe that everyone is family to each other. Doesn't matter what you've done, or where you've come from. They love each other and protect each other, even if one of 'em doesn't realized they need protecting." Sully told Kathryn as they walked through the woods.

"I was eighteen Byron." Kat sighed. "I didn't know what I was doing or sayin'. I was just so mad that night. And by the time I'd realized what I'd done...what you'd done for me? It was too late. I knew I'd never be able to thank you enough. "

"Is that why you never came back?" Sully asked.

"No, I never came back because I thought you and Abby would've had a family of your own. You wouldn't want me around." She admitted. "I had no way of knowing what happened to her."

"Of course you didn't." Sully sighed and he stopped walking. "She never forgave me for letting you go that night."

"I wouldn't have listened to you, even if you did." Kathryn promised.

"That's what I told her." Sully replied. He stroked absentmindedly at Wolf's fur. "But she was right. I should have gone after you. I guess I never really forgave myself neither."

"Maybe that's our problem." She crouched down and started petting Wolf too. "Forgiving's never been part of the Sully way."

"Maybe we can change that." her brother offered. He held out his hands.

"I'd like that." Kat agreed. She placed one of her hands in each of his and he helped her to her feet. Without warning, Kathryn flung her arms around Sully's neck. He was surprised, but glad to finally have his sister back. So he wrapped his arms around her too.


	6. Chapter 6

Sully and Kat walked back in to town with Wolf padding along between them. They walked over to the clinic where Dr. Mike was waiting for them outside.

"How was your walk?" She asked as the siblings approached.

"It was just fine Doc." Kat smiled. "Though I suppose, I'll be needing to find a more permanent place to stay now."

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay at the Homestead until you find a home of your own." Dr. Mike promised. "Isn't that right Sully?"

"Of course." Sully nodded. "But the homestead will be awful cramped with all of you in it. I could build you a home Kathryn."

"What would I do with a whole house to myself?" Kat asked with her hands on her hips. "No I'll find a room here in town. Course I don't know where, now that the boarding house is closed."

"It doesn't have to be."Dr. Mike had a sudden idea.

"But you need those rooms for your clinic." Her friend reminded her.

"Yes, but not all of them." The doctor decided. "Short of another epidemic, I doubt every room in the clinic will be filled. You can choose one and live there."

Shoot, I don't know Doc." Kathryn frowned.

"Might be a good idea, Kat." Sully shrugged. "You'd be right here in the center of town."

"Come to think of it," Dr. Quinn smiled. "It would help me a great deal. There would be someone here in case I have overnight patients. Someone to talk to when I have to stay late, to keep an eye on things when I can't be around. I could even teach you some basic things about medicine for when I go out of town. I won't even charge you any rent as you'd be doing me a favor."

"But how will you pay your mortgage if you let me live here for free?" Kat asked, seriously considering the offer.

"Oh I own the building." Dr. Mike smiled.

"You sure are one hell of a lady, Doc." Kat smiled. "Sure know how to make an argument too. Ain't need nobody to rescue you." she winked at her brother. "Alright, I'll take it." She stuck her hand out and Dr. Mike gave it a shake.

"We can get you settled in here tonight after dinner. I'm sure the children will be glad to help." Michaela promised. "Why don't you join us for dinner tonight Sully?"

"I'll be there." Sully agreed. "I've got some things I have to see to now, but I'll see you both tonight. It's good to have you back." He kissed his sister on the forehead and walked out of town.

"Well, I wonder what changed his mind." Dr. Mike continued to smile as she watched her best friend stroll away.

"I think it was that speech you made last night about family." Kat explained. "Byron and I have never really been too good at family matters. But he had a real chance with Abigail. When she died...it must have tore him apart. I'm guessing that his time with the Cheyenne taught him some lessons to."

"And what about you?" Dr. Mike asked. The two women walked inside and continued their conversation.

"I'm not sure I really know what family is, but I'm learning." Kat closed the door behind her. "You mind if I go on upstairs and take a look around?"

"Be my guest." Dr. Mike invited.

So Kat went upstairs and poked around. She opened door after door studying the rooms. In the end she decided on a room with a large window that faced away from the Saloon. There was a pitcher and basin for washing, and a sizable bed, and a dresser. It was the first time Kat had ever had a dresser all to herself. Come to think of it, there was more space in that room than she'd ever had.

After awhile She went back downstairs to learn some doctoring from Dr. Mike. She learned how to sew up stitches, the proper dosages for Chloroform, Aspirin and other basic medications. She helped the doctor with her patients as they came and went from the clinic. Sometime late in the Afternoon Kat decided to take a stroll through town. She almost turned and ran back inside the clinic when she spotted Hank standing out on his porch. But there was an old saying about keepin' friends close, and enemies even closer, So with her head held high she marched right on over to Hank's Saloon.

"Ain't you have anything better to do, than be lounging out here all day?" She snapped at Hank.

"Nope." Hank replied with a grin. For added effect he puffed a billow of cigar smoke in her face. Kat coughed remembering how awful those things smelled. "What are you doing back here anyhow?" He asked.

"Frankly, I don't see how that's any of your business." Kat crossed her arms.

"Kat?" Someone called her name from inside the Saloon.

"Myra?" Kat called back, recognizing her old friend's voice immediately. Myra burst through the Saloon doors, and Kat pulled her into a hug. Hank rolled his eyes and continued puffing on his cigar.

"Well they said you was in town, but I didn't believe it!" Myra gushed.

"Well, here I am." Kat smiled back. Myra suddenly looked worried.

"You're not back to ah..."

"Oh heck no." Kat assured her. There was no way she'd go back to working for Hank.

"Oh good." Myra relax.

"You know, you ought to be thanking Myra." Hank told Kat ask smoked the last of his cigar.

"And why is that?" Kat asked, she glared up at Hank.

"Oh it was nothing, don't go worrying about it." Myra insisted, suddenly embarrassed.

"What's he talkin' about Myra?" Kathryn asked, but her friend didn't answer.

"You mean nobody ever told you how you got outta your contract?" Hank chuckled.

"Byron paid it off." Kat huffed. "He said he borrowed half the money from a friend..."

"Well that ain't the whole story." Hank cut her off. "When Sully came to me he only had about six months of what that contract was worth. Your old pal Slicker offered to pay off six more months himself, and when she found out that was all they could afford, Myra here offered to add the remaining two years to her own contract."

"Jake was the friend that he...And Myra, you...why would you do that?" Kat could barely speak. It was one thing for her brother to put all his money into getting her out but for Jake and Myra to invest so much in her freedom.

"You weren't made for this life Kat." Myra replied. "You was so young, and you just wanted to see the world. I knew I'd never much amount to anything. And I've been fine working for Hank. And now I've only got a year left and then me and Horace'll be getting married..."

"Oh Myra, how can I ever thank you?" Kat flung her arms around her friend again. Then she had an idea. "Hank, I want a job."

"Kat, no!" Myra protested.

"I don't think Sully and Jake'll be too happy to pay for you a second time." Hank pointed out.

"I don't want to do that kind of work." Kat said. "Just tending bar. You know lady bartenders bring in higher spenders than male ones. And you don't have to pay. Any money I make'll be going towards Myra's contract. And when you find a girl to replace Myra, I'll do the training." Hank lit up another cigar as he considered her offer.

"What do I get out of it?" He questioned.

"Free labor and more time for your to do...whatever it is you do." Kat explained. Hank mulled the decision over for another minute or two. He crunched a few numbers over in his head and smiled.

"You got yourself a deal little lady." Hank grinned and puffed another billow of smoke. "Let's get inside, I'll draw up the paperwork."

"No." Kat said firmly. "No paperwork this time. I want to be able to leave at any time. And I want to be able to come and go as I please. I'll be living at the clinic, and helpin' Dr. Mike. This will be like a...a second job."

"Now wait just a minute..." Hank started to argue.

"It's a better offer than you'd get from any other Lady bartender." Kat assured him. Hank tossed his cigar on the ground and stomped it out.

"Do what you want, you meddlesome woman." He grumbled before walking back into the Saloon.

"I ain't never seen nobody talk to Hank like that." Myra marveled.

"It's because of you Myra." Kat smiled. "If I hadn't left town all them years ago, I wouldn't have never learned how to take care of myself. You know, actually take care of myself, not like I thought I was doing back then."

"Myra, get back in here!" Hank hollered from inside the Saloon.

"I gotta go, but I'll be seeing you around." Myra promised before ducking back inside. With hundreds of thoughts swirling in her head, Kat stumbled off the Saloon porch and tried to clear her head.

* * *

 **A/n: Thank you to Maria for this story's first review! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this story and my writing! I have some ideas about how the story will go on, but I'm not too sure about how long it will last or when it will end. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! And there will be more revealed about Kat & Jake too!**


	7. Chapter 7

A few weeks passed and Kat started to get the hang of life in Colorado Springs. She slept in her room over the clinic and helped Dr. Mike in whatever ways she could. Sometimes that meant looking after Coleen and Brian, other times that meant assisting with procedures or helping with chores around the doctor's home. She'd also started tending bar at Hank's Saloon. Her brother hadn't been too pleased about that, but he understood that she was doing it to help Myra. So Sully promised to keep an even closer eye on things in town. The rest of the townspeople had met Kat by now, and for the most part she got on well with them. Truthfully, the only folks in town who seemed to carry any resentment towards her were Jake and Loren. Jake was easy enough to avoid since Kat wouldn't ever need a shave or doctorin' from him. Mr. Bray, on the other hand, couldn't really be avoided. But Kathryn quickly learned to do her shopping with Brian since the old man seemed to have a soft spot for him.

One afternoon Kat was accompanying Dr. Mike and Bryan to the store. She'd promised, with the Doc's permission, to buy Brian some candy for going with her to the store all the time. So Brian stood in the middle of the store studying the shelves of candy. Loren stared down at the boy reminding him that he was picking a candy, not making the Louisiana Purchase. Kat couldn't help but laugh at the man as she leaned on the counter. Michaela joined her friend by the counter with an armful of purchases. The two ladies watched Brian and Loren for a beat before his sister, Olive Davis, led a parade of immigrants girls into the store.

"Pick out something tasteful and ladylike!" Olive ordered her girls as they filed into the store. "Nothing in red! And Grace!" She added to woman who had accompanied her all the way from Texas. "You can take them over to Emily's to start having them fitted for dresses."

"Yes, Ms. Olive." Grace sighed, obviously displeased with this idea.

"What's gotten into you?" Loren snapped at his sister. "Wantn' to open up a Dance Hall with a bunch of Viking maidens?"

"It's not a Dance Hall!" Olive protested. "It's a Hurdy-Gurdy! And they got 'em all over Texas! It's a perfectly respectable money making venture!" Hearing the ruckus at Mr. Bray's, Mathew decided to poke his head into the General Store. He spotted Ingrid, one of the Immigrant girls that he was sweet on, standing in the back of the shop looking at fabrics with Grace.

"Mathew!" Dr. Mike called, trying to get her son's attention. "I want you to help me with the packages." She loaded her purchases into her son's arms. He took them reflexively and didn't take his eyes off Ingrid. Spotting Mathew from over Dr. Mike's shoulder, Olive put aside her argument with her brother and approached the oldest Cooper.

"I'm going to need some help building the dance floor." Olive said. "Are you interested?" Mathew didn't hear Olive as he was lost in thought about Ingrid. So Olive tried calling him by name. "Mathew?!" This time, the boy looked back at her.

"Yes, ma'am?" He replied.

"I'll pay you a nickel and hour," Olive offered as her girls started following Grace out of the store. "I'll feed you lunch, and you can choose one of those girls for a free dance the night we open. You want the job?" Mathew simply nodded before running out of the store with Dr. Mike's packages.

"I think that was a yes." Dr. Mike joked.

"That ain't all it was." Olive laughed before following everyone else out of the store. With a smile on her face, Dr. Mike turned to fine Brian and Kat gawking at the harmonicas Loren had for sale.

"Are you two ready to go?" She asked.

"I don't think Mr. Bray likes me very much." Brian said sadly.

"Don't worry, I don't think Mr. Bray likes anybody very much." Kat chuckled. Dr. Mike made a troubled face.

"Brian, I'm afraid Mr. Bray isn't very happy." His adopted mother explained.

"Why?" Brian asked. "Look at all the candy he's got!" He pointed to the candy shelves he'd just been browsing. Kat had to bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing. She tried to remember a time in her life when she thought candy was all you needed to be happy.

"I believe Mr. Bray misses his wife." Dr. Mike explained.

"I miss my Ma sometimes." Brian mused. He was quiet for a long time, thinking about something. What it was, Dr. Mike and Kat couldn't guess.

Kat decided to walk out on the porch to give the doctor a moment with her son. A strange new parade had replaced Olive and her girls in the center of town. It was a band of confederate soldiers riding in under the lead of General Custer. Most of the soldiers were mounted on horses. A proper cavalry waving their banner as they trotted into town. Some of the cavalry men were dragging Indian prisoners behind them. Kat immediately recognized one of the Indians as her brother's good friend Cloud Dancing. She turned to fetch Dr. Mike from the store, but she had just stepped out with Brian. Suddenly Sully was standing next to them, he and wolf appearing from seemingly nowhere. Custer instructed his men to seek medical attention from Jake at his Barber Shop.

"The Indians as well," Custer added. "I want them alive for questioning." Dr. Mike sprung into action calmly. She asked Mathew to stay and watch Brian while pulling Kat forward. If she was going to have to argue with Jake or the General, it would be nice to have her friend for aid. Not to mention Kathryn had proved herself apt for medical assistance. So together the two women pushed their way into Jake's shop where four or five severely injured men had been laid out. General Custer, who was sitting in Jake's Barber's Chair, tried to stop them from entering.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave. This is not a place for women." Custer told them firmly. Dr. Mike squared her shoulders and held her ground.

"I'm Dr. Quinn, I'm a surgeon and Kathryn is my assistant."

"Quinn is it?" Custer leaned back in his chair. "Chivington told me about you."

"I'm sure he did." Dr. Mike didn't flinch.

"Mr. Slicker," Custer called to Jake. "Would you like some assistance?" Jake looked up from the soldier he'd been caring for. Up until this point he had been unaware of Dr. Mike and Kat's arrival. He locked eyes with Kat and after receiving a very pointed glare from his ex, the Barber agreed to their help.

"Well as long as they don't get in the way." After a quick scan of the room Dr. Mike quickly determined one of the Indian men as the most severely injured. She began treating the Indian when Custer interrupted her.

"What the hell are you doing?" He growled. "You will take care of my men first. Sergeant, lock the Indians up in the Livery."

"No, no!" Dr. Mike protested immediately."Please, you can't! He'll die if I don't do something for him immediately." But the soldiers weren't listening to her. Two men came forward and picked up the Indian from the floor. The doctor continued to protest until Custer got to his feet with his gun drawn. Kat stood in front of Dr. Mike protectively, but it wasn't her he was looking to shook.

"You take care of my men first or this one will die now." He ordered before aiming his pistol at Cloud Dancing.

"C'mon Doc, this ain't a fight you're going to win." Kat said. "Let's just help Jake with these soldiers first." Despite the fact that every moral fiber of her being was protesting, Michaela knew that the best chance of keeping the Indians alive would be to help the soldiers first. So without a word to anyone else she started her work.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to Maria, BlessedX5, and the "Guest" who reviewed this story's last chapter! It is always so nice to know that something I've written has been read and enjoyed by someone else! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 7!**


	8. Chapter 8

Days past and Dr. Mike continued to treat the men of Custer's cavalry against her moral compass. She was doing everything in her power to achieve justice for Cloud Dancing and the other Indians who had been captured. One afternoon she was changing bandages with Kat when she finally got up enough nerve to speak with Reverend Johnson on the matter. While the Reverend read passages from The Bible to the wounded, Michaela thought of how she should start up the conversation.

"That's all we have time for, I will see you boys tomorrow." Reverent Johnson addressed the room as he finished the last lines of his current passage. He closed his book, gathered the rest of his things and headed for the door.

"Reverend?" Dr. Mike called out to him timidly as he reached for the door handle. He looked back at her with trepidation. He knew what Michaela would ask and he knew she wouldn't like what he had to say about it. Even still, he stood by the door and waited for her to speak. Kathryn, eager to hear what Dr. Mike wanted with the Reverend, suddenly became fixated on the mess of papers strewn across her best friend's desk. She quietly tidied up while eavesdropping on the conversation next to her.

"It's about Cloud Dancing..." Dr. Mike Whispered.

"This really isn't my place to say anything." Reverend Johnson tried his best to sound apologetic, but even he knew it was fear that kept him from speaking out.

"Why not?" Dr. Mike demanded.

"The church is neutral on this issue." This time the Reverend tried for a more blasé tone of voice.

"How can you not protest the fact that he's been chained up like an animal?" Michaela snarled. She tried her best not to raise her voice since Custer was standing on the other side of the room.

"The General has assured me that that is necessary to prevent his escape." Johnson replied civilly.

"That's ridiculous." Dr. Mike was fighting hard to keep her voice even.

"I'm sorry." The Reverend told her. Again his voice was void of any emotion. Without even a sympathetic gaze, Reverend Johnson left the clinic. Kat was mumbling a few curse words under her breath when a few of the able bodied soldiers entered the clinic.

"General Custer, Sir," The man addressed his superior. "Chief Black Kettle just rode in under a flag of truce." Without hesitation the General and his able bodied men went back out into the street. They were closely followed by Dr. Mike and Kathryn. Neither Kat nor Michaela were surprised to see Sully standing with the Indian Chief and a handful of his horsebacked warriors.

"You're wasting your time, sir." Custer groaned at Sully. Sully wasn't the least shaken by this man. The Cheyenne weren't afraid of the General and it was his job to speak for them. Kat couldn't help but admire he brother's unwavering courage.

"Chief Black Kettle has come to keep the peace." Sully explained to the soldiers calmly. "You insult him if you don't sit down and talk."

"I won't sit down and talk as long as his men continue to kill settlers." The General responded hostilely.

"He's told you, the ones that kill are renegades. He doesn't have any control over them." Sully clarified.

"He's lying." Custer insisted, despite having no evidence to prove this. "I should arrest him now. SERGEANT!" He raised his hand and gestured for his men to take the Indian chief under arrest. Several of the uniformed men drew their guns at the same time. In response the Indian warriors, and Sully, reached for weapons of their own. Chief Black Kettle ordered his men to stand down. He then spoke in his native tongue to the Army General.

"He said that if Cloud Dancing isn't back by tonight, you're gonna have more trouble than you can handle." Sully translated.

"The Indian will remain my prisoner until he tells me where the Dog Soldiers are hiding." General Custer hissed. The Chief spoke a few more words of Cheyenne before leading his warriors out of town.

"He said you are too young and foolish to live to be a wise old man." Sully interpreted Black Kettle's words. Dr. Mike stepped up close to Sully and whispered to him.

"They'll kill him. You know they will. Please." Sully nodded once at Dr. Mike and once at his sister before wondering over to the Livery.

* * *

That night, Kathryn ate dinner with Dr. Quinn and her children at the homestead. She had just arrived back to the clinic when one of Custer's soldiers approached her.

"Are you the assistant to the doctor?" The man asked.

"Yeah." Kat nodded. She curled her hands into fists, just in case this man was looking for a fight. Though, if she was being honest, her fists were no match for a gun, should one be drawn on her.

"That Indian prisoners' been injured trying to escape. Do you know where I can find the Doctor at this time of night?" Kat nodded.

"I'll go an' fetch her for ya. I know the fastest way to the homestead, plus my horse already knows where she's going." And with that, Kathryn tossed herself back up on her horse's saddle and thundered out of town.

Kat and Dr. Mike arrived at the Livery a short time later. Sully, who had seen his sister riding out of town, met them just outside of the barn where Cloud Dancing was being held.

"Say you need me to translate." Sully instructed his friend.

"But he speaks English." Dr. Mike whispered back.

"The soldiers don't know that." Kat surmised. Sully nodded letting his sister know that he was thinking the same thing. Dr. Mike, Sully and Kat reached the barn where Cloud Dancing was being held. As they expected a guard stopped them.

"He can't go in there." The soldier said pointing to Sully.

"I don't speak Cheyenne." Dr. Mike explained. Now unless one of you is able to translate for me..." While she spoke, Sully removed his belt that acted as a holster for his tomahawk and other assorted items. He left the belt outside of the barn as a sign of good faith the two soldiers before following Dr. Mike.

"I did what I could." Jake Slicker said sympathetically. "I thought you ought'ta take a look at him."

"I'll need some water." Dr. Mike ordered as she crouched down to assess her patient. Without hesitation Kat left the barn to fetch the water Michaela needed. Jake knelt down on the other side of Cloud Dancing, ready to aid Dr. Mike if need be.

"How did this happen?" The Doctor asked the soldier who had escorted them in.

"Ran into a rifle butt I reckon." The soldier answered. Kat returned with the bucket of water and Dr. Mike immediately gave Cloud Dancing some to drink.

"His shoulder's dislocated. I'm going to have to put it back in place." Dr. Quinn assessed. "Sully I'll need you and Jake to help me." Kat stepped aside so her brother could help. Four sturdy hands gripped Cloud Dancing tightly as Dr. Mike quickly relocated the Indian man's shoulders. Before she could do anything else however, General Custer came storming into the barn.

"Get that man out of here!" He ordered, pointing at Sully. "If this man comes within a hundred yards of here shoot him in site. Now get him out of here." Kat bit her lip hoping her brother was smart enough to know when he was beat. He should exit the barn peacefully and continue to fight his battles another day. She breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed himself to be dragged out of the barn. Dr. Mike on the other hand, didn't share Sully's sensibility.

"How _dare_ you do this to another human being!" She snarled. Kat looked down and met Jake's eyes. A silent message passed between them, Dr. Mike really needed to learn when and whom to pick her battles with.

"He's just an Indian man." Custer shrugged. Even Kathryn had to admit it rubbed her raw the way this man considered Indians less than human.

"This man saved my life!" Dr. Mike defended Cloud Dance once more.

"Well now you've saved his." Custer replied in an even tone. "You have ten minutes to complete your examination of my prisoner Ms. Quinn." Michaela was so distraught she didn't even bother correcting the General for dropping her hard earned "Doctor" prefix. Kat had a few choice words of her own in mind for Custer, but she decided it would be more helpful to the Doctor if she kept her mouth shut. The last thing they needed was getting another Sully thrown off Cloud Dancing's visitation list.

* * *

 **Guys, look, it's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's an update! So I'm so sorry that my updates have gone much in the way of unicorns lately. I was working At Disney World for a while and that ate up all my time. But now I'm home! (yay) And that means I'll hopefully have more time for updates!**

 **So thank you to everyone who has been reading and waiting in anticipation! I hope this update was worth the wait! (And if not I'm sorry) Thank you to everyone who has left reviews! please know that while updates may take forever, I will never abandon this story! So...yeah this was Chapter 8, please let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

Kathryn tried to stop chewing on her lip as she nervously walked over to Jake's Barber Shop. The place was empty except for Loren who was being shaved by the barber and Hank who sat with his boots up at the bench by the door. As usual, Hank was complaining about something when Kathryn walked in.

"See this is just the kind of thing I'm talking about!" Hank swept his hand out to gesture at his barmaid. "These women think they run this town. Just running around coming and going as they please. Can't even get a decent shave."

"Aw, Hank what's got you so upset?" She asked unsympathetically. Hank didn't reply to her.

"I'm going to get a drink." he huffed at no one in particular before storming out.

"I'm coming too!" Loren said. He wiped his newly shaven face with the towel that Jake handed him before following Hank out of the Barber Shop.

"What do you want?" Jake snarled. He took the towel that Loren had just left in the Barber's chair, folded it and returned it to its place on his counter.

"Why did you send for Dr. Mike last night?" Kat asked. She sat on the bench and waited for him to answer.

"She's close with the Indians." Jake shrugged. "Figured if I let him die I'd never hear the end of it. You ain't been on Michaela's bad side yet." Jake grimaced.

"Don't see any reason to go upsetting the Doc. She's been good to me and we see eye to on lots of things." Kat shrugged in return. "But I don't think you'd let Cloud Dancing die anyhow. You're a good man Jake."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Jake hissed. "What are you doing in here anyway?" He took a swig from a flask of whiskey he kept in waistcoat pocket.

"I came to see you." Kat smiled. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you about..."

"Look, I've got customers. I don't have time for chit chat."

"I just want to know why." She asked.

"Why what, Kathryn?" He sighed before taking another swig from his flask.

"Why did you help Byron buy out my contract all them years ago?"

* * *

 _Due to her line of work, Kathryn and the rest of the girls weren't allowed in the church. But Hank was. Every Sunday he joined the majority of the town in the church to listen to the weekly sermon. It was one of the few times a week where Jake and Kat could be together without getting interrupted. Kat ran across the road and knocked on the locked door of the Barber Shop. Smiling Jake raced to the door and let her in. He tilted her chin up and planted a soft kiss on her lips._

 _"I thought you'd never get here." He smiled._

 _"Sorry." She laughed. "I had to help Myra and Liz with some cleaning." She stood on her toes and planted a kiss on Jake's cheek. "But I'm here now."_

 _"That you are." He grinned. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Why don't you quit that job of yours?" He whispered into Kat's ear. "We could get married. I'd take care of ya." Kathryn pulled her head up off his shoulder where it had been resting._

 _"I can't quit. I got a contract with Hank, you know that." She sighed, this wasn't the first time Jake had offered to marry her. It felt like they had this conversation at least once a month. Kat put her head back on his shoulder. "And I make a lot of money. You can't afford me on an apprentice's salary."_

 _"Well I won't be an apprentice forever!" Jake argued. "I'm serious. Let me make an honest women out of you."_

 _"But Jake, if you make an honest woman out if me, we'd have to start going to church." Kat frowned playfully. And if we had to go to church," She kissed his neck. "We wouldn't be able to do this anymore." She kissed her way up his neck, across his cheek and gave him a final kiss on his lips._

* * *

"I loved you."Jake replied quietly. "What other reason could there be? And I thought you loved me too. Of course if I'd known you were going to ride out of here the first chance you got, I probably would have let you rot in that Saloon."

"I did love you Jake." Kat confessed. "There isn't a day that's gone by where I haven't thought of you. I know you must be so angry at me for leaving, and I don't blame you, but you have to understand I left because I thought no one wanted me around. As far as I'd known at the time Byron had put in the money and he was telling me how I was going to live my life. I was eighteen. I had taken care of myself up until that point. For all I knew, you would have tried to control me the same way my brother was. Or even worse you might not have wanted me around at all! I'd be a burden to you. And I had to learn how to take care of myself before I could let someone else take care of me. I had _a lot_ of growing up to do!"

"Then why didn't you say good-bye?" Jake questioned. "You could have at least said good-bye."

"You wouldn't have let me go. You would have wanted me to stay. You probably could have talked me into it too."

"Well you won't have me beggin' ya to stay this time around." He assured her bitterly before taking another swig from his flask. "You could ride right out of town for all I care."

"You're impossible!" Kathryn spat before marching back out into the street.

She stormed into the clinic where Dr. Mike was wearing a smug grin on her face. It was the closest thing to a smile Kat had seen on the Doctor's face since Cloud Dancing had been captured. So she decided to put her issues with Jake aside and ask what had happened while she was gone.

"What are ya' smiling so much for, Doc?" Kat questioned.

"My petition's arrived." Michaela explained. "I've written to Washington for a petition for Cloud Dancing's welfare." She produced the petition and proudly displayed it, unfolded, on her desk. "Would you like to be the first to sign it?"

"Course." Kathryn agreed immediately. She picked up a pen from the top of the desk and scrawled her name right under the Doctor's own signature. "Do you think it'll help him?"

"If enough people sign it, it might get him released."

* * *

 **A/n:** **As always, let me start off by saying that I love reviews/reviewers! It inspires me to keep writing and keep updating these stories, just knowing that it has an audience! Also in this chapter we get a little glimpse of Kat and Jake's previous relationship! Please let me know what you think! Also maria, i'd love to communicate with you! if you make a Fanfiction account [it's free] it will give you the option to message authors like me! :D it is the most secure way to talk with me! [Otherwise you'd have to leave your email address in a review and ANYONE could see it.] And to Chacha, glad to hear you enjoyed the story and find it different from others! Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9!**


	10. Chapter 10

That afternoon Dr. Mike left the clinic to gain more signatures for her petition. Kat offered to watch the clinic for her, after all people still got sick despite social injustices. Mathew was at the edge of town by the church helping Olive finish the floor for her Hurdy Gurdy, but Brian had wanted to stay at the clinic. He loved sitting with Kathryn and telling her about his adventures with Sully. Dr. Mike hadn't been gone for very long when Brian and Kat heard the sound of drums and soldiers gathering in the center of town.

"What's all that noise?" Brian questioned.

"Hopefully it's the soldiers leaving town. C'mon let's go take a look." She suggested before swinging open the door to the clinic. When she saw what was actually happening in the town square, Kathryn tried to shield it from Brian's sight, but he pushed past her.

"What's going on?" He demanded. " I wanna see!" The soldiers closed ranks in a way Kat had only seen once before. Concerned, she crouched down and whispered to the boy standing next to her. "Brian, this is important. You have to go get your Ma. You have to run as fast as you can, tell her they're gonna shoot Cloud Dancing, she's gotta come back right away. You understand?"

Uh-huh." Brian nodded before running off to get his mother. Kathryn jumped on her horse and rode out to find her brother who luckily wasn't very far away. He'd started walking towards town when he heard the drums.

"What's going on?" Sully asked when he met up with his sister.

"It's Cloud Dancing." Kat told him without dismounting. "They're gonna execute him. You have to try and stop them. I sent Brian to fetch Dr. Mike."

"Let's go." Sully took off running.

"No! No!" Michaela shouted as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Stop General Custer! You can't do this! You said two days!"

"I changed my mind." Custer informed her impassively. By now Kathryn and her horse had come stomping back into town. She'd dismounted from her horse and stood next to Dr. Mike.

"You can't just execute a man without a trial." Reverent Johnson interjected.

"What's his crime?" Olive wanted to know.

"He's an Indian." Jake replied as if that explained it all. "He's got to have done something to have been shot for."

"This man saved our lives!" Dr. Mike shouted at the town's folk. "You can't let them do this!" Sully stepped between Dr. Mike, Kat and Custer.

"He doesn't know anything!" Sully insisted.

"They why don't you ask him one last time?" Custer demanded. Sully looked from Dr. Mike to Kat before walking over to Cloud Dancing.

"Tell them anything." He whispered to his friend. "Lie to them." But even starved, bruised and beaten Cloud Dancing wouldn't give it.

"No." Was his reply. "I see the truth. Good-bye my friend." Sully had to accept that there would be no convincing Cloud Dancing. He was about to lose the man who had been like a brother to him. The man who had taught him so much about being a man. With silent acceptance he stepped to safety behind the Firing Squad. Now only Kat and Dr. Mike Stood in Custer's way. So Custer proceeded to drag a fighting Michaela out of the way.

"You can't do this!" She screamed, struggling against Custer's hold with all her might. A pair of strong hands also pulled Kat out of the way, but she didn't bother fighting them. There was no point. Cloud Dancing was going to die and there was nothing anyone could do to save him.

"Sergeant, carry out your orders." Custer instructed over Michaela's screams. The soldiers in the Firing Squad took their aim. Kat decided at the last minute to bury her head in the chest of whoever it was who held her. She breathed in the musky scent of a familiar cologne and knew at once it was Jake Slicker who had his arms wrapped around her protectively. The soldiers were ordered to fire, and with a final shriek from Dr. Mike, the rifles expelled their bullets. A hush fell over the crowd and Jake was the first to speak.

"I'll be dammed." He gaped, releasing Kat. "Blanks."

"Take him back to his cell." Custer ordered with a despicable grin on his face. The soldiers did as they were told and most of the town's people returned to what they'd been doing now that the spectacle in the center of town had concluded. Even Jake had started wandering back to the Barber's Shop before Kat had a chance to ask him why he'd pulled her out of the way.

"Next time, Custer will kill him." Sully announced to Dr. Mike and Kat once they were alone.

"We can't let that happen." His sister said.

"We have to do something." Dr. Mike agreed.

* * *

The next night the Hurdy Gurdy opened as planned. General Custer and nearly all of his soldiers were in attendance by the time the opening commenced. Colleen, Brian and Mathew were each dressed in their Sunday best when they arrived with Dr. Mike and Kat. Colleen set off to try and find someone to dance with her since Sully had turned her down. Brian wanted to show Loren the song he'd learned to play on the Harmonica, and Mathew was suppose to be getting his first dance with Ingrid. Kat had promised to watch the three children while Michaela and Sully carried out their plan to rescue Cloud Dancing.

"Why the long face?" Kat asked when she spotted Colleen sulking at the edge of the dance floor.

"There's no one to dance with me." The young girl told her.

"Well, I ain't got no one to dance with me neither, so how about we dance together?" She offered her hand out to Colleen with a smile. Together the two took to the floor dancing circles around some of the less talented couples. An hour or so passed before Olive allowed the band, and the dancers, to take a break. Brian was still by the lemonade stand taking to Loren, and Colleen skipped over to get herself a cup of lemonade. Mathew had finally worked up the courage to talk to Ingrid, and Dr. Mike had just returned from her mission.

"So...?" Kat whispered when she spotted her friend in the crowd.

"It's taken care of." Dr. Mike assure her. A genuine smile appeared on Kat's face.

"The why do you look so upset, Doc?" She asked, elbowing her friend playfully. "You saved someone's life. Smile! You've just added another chapter to the thrilling tale in the life of Dr. Quinn, M.D.!"Kat swept her hand out dramatically to emphasize her point. Dr. Mike couldn't help but laugh. She liked being around Kathryn because of her unique outlook on things. Life in Colorado Springs had certainly been improved by her return.

* * *

 **A/n: OMG guys two updates in the same week! Am I the best or what? OK TBH I just wanted to get through the rest of "The Prisoner" but I think I wrapped everything up nicely! The next episode with be "Happy Birthday" which I've very excited to start on! Special thanks to snn7b, Kim & Michaela for your reviews of Chapter 9. I _love_ reviews! (Especially positive ones!) So basically tell me what you think of Chapter 10, and what you are hoping to see in future chapters! **


	11. Chapter 11

"Breakfast was delicious as always Miss Colleen." Kat praised as she helped Brian clear away the dirty dishes. They brought the dirty dishes to Michaela who was scrubbing them clean with warm water. Mathew had eaten his breakfast much earlier than the others since Robert E had wanted his help with something in town. The oldest of the Cooper children came barreling into the house with a large crate in his hands.

"This came for you Dr. Mike." He announced. "I told Horace I'd bring it home."

"Who's it from?" Colleen asked excitedly.

"Don't know." Mathew shrugged. "But there's a letter that came with it." Dr. Mike dried her hands on the apron she had tied around her waist before accepting the letter from her son. She opened it carefully, but eagerly.

"Dear Michaela," She began to read aloud.

"Grandma!" Brian smiled. The letter must have come from Dr. Mike's mother who Kat had not yet met.

"Hope my correspondence finds you and the children in good health." Dr. Mike continued to read from her letter. "Please find enclosed a little something of civilization since you're obviously determined to remain as far away from it as humanly possible." _How pleasant._ Kat thought sarcastically as her friend continued reading. "I'd been saving this for your hope chest, however as your status as an unmarried woman seems unlikely to be changed in the foreseeable future, I've decided to send along a service for eight of your favorite Wedgewood china. In honor of..." Dr. Mike let her sentence trail off and she folded the letter back up. "Well, let's see!"

Mathew fetched a hammer and used it to pry open the create. Everyone gathered around the table excitedly as Dr. Mike plunged her hands into the crate. Expressions of dismay and pity echoed around the table as the chatter of broken china filled the room.

"Uh oh." Brian frowned. "It's all broken."

"This cup ain't broken." Kat pointed out. She plucked up the only piece of china that was still intact and handed to Michaela. Dr. Mike took the cup and frowned down at it.

"Excuse me." She managed to get out before walking out the front door. Brian chased after her wondering what's wrong.

"Gosh what was it in honor of?" Colleen asked.

"Maybe it's in the letter." Mathew suggested. Kat nodded with understanding before searching around for the letter.

"It's in honor of her thirty fifth birthday." She explained to the children. The three of them shared a meaningful look before joining Brian and Dr. Mike on the porch outside.

"Then why are you crying?" Brian was asking his adopted Ma. He really hated it when Dr. Mike cried.

"I'm crying because...well because sometimes...I just feel lonely." Michaela explained through her tears.

"Lonely?" Brian didn't understand. "How can you feel lonely? You got us." Without another word Brian flung his arms around Dr. Mike and pulled her into a hug.

"How indeed." Michaela whispered.

"Colleen, Brian why don't you go finish cleaning up breakfast?" Kat asked them. Both children did what they were told knowing that if they didn't do it right then they would have to do it later anyway. Mathew, who was old enough to know that Kat wanted a moment alone with Dr. Mike, mumbled something about feeding the horses before he disappeared from sight. Now that they were alone Kat leaned against the house with one foot up against the wall and her arms crossed.

"Shoot Doc, I didn't think you even knew how to cry." She laughed. "I don't mean to make light of your feelings 'course, but seeing you cry..." Her sentence trailed off and drover her point home with a low whistle.

"Its embarrassing." Michaela sniffed.

"Embarrassing?" Kat snorted. "Doc, it just means you're human like the rest of us! Everyone get's _lonely_ once in awhile." She wagged her eyebrows at her friend suggestively. Dr. Mike couldn't help but laugh. She wasn't _that_ sort of lonely at all, but she took Kathryn's intentions to heart. "I used to be an expert at lonely." Kat continued to share. "Ran away from anything and everyone who ever tried to be there for me. Now, Byron says he forgives me for it, but he's still watching me out of the corner of his eye, waiting for me to run off the first chance things get too tough. And Jake..." She sighed. A wistful look flickered in Kat's eyes as she remembered her old life in Colorado Springs. "Well I must have taken the old Jake Slicker with me when I ran out of town. He's there sometimes hiding behind the new Jake in his smile or a stolen look but boy does he hate me."

"It's hard to imagine Jake as anything other than hateful and crude." Dr. Mike confessed. Her tears seemed to be mostly dried by now.

"He was sweet, smart too. He never let no one else tell him how to think neither." Kat shook her head. "Suppose if I only knew him now, I'd have trouble thinking he was ever any different. But look Doc, if we gotta be lonely, you and me, at least we can be lonely together right?"

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it."Dr. Mike sighed. "I'll be fine." She assured her friend as she rose to her feet. "It's a simple case of the birthday blues."

"I'd get that check by a doctor, Doc." Kat joked, their heavier conversation dissipating.

"Fortunately, I know a very good one." Michaela smiled.

* * *

"We gotta do something to cheer Ma up!" Brian insisted as he walked through town with Colleen and Mathew.

"We could give her a birthday party?" Colleen suggested.

"It would have to be a surprise though. We're not even suppose to know." Mathew resolved.

"It's Ma's birthday?" Brian was confused again. He loved his birthday and didn't understand why something like that would make Dr. Mike sad.

"Now it's a secret Brian." Mathew warned his little brother. "You can't tell anyone."

"Except Miss Kathryn." Colleen interjected. "She already knows."

"Don't worry. I won't say nothing." Brian promised. Neither Colleen nor Mathew believed him. Brian was notorious for spilling secrets. The children walked over to Robert E's place where he was sharpening one of Sully's hunting knives. Sully was standing next to Robert E, inspecting the Blacksmith's work. "Hey Sully!" The youngest Cooper greeted him.

"Hey kids." Sully replied back, a half chewed piece of straw hung lazily from his mouth.

"Are you going to be around for the next couple of days?" Mathew tried to sound casual when he asked.

"I should be, why?"

"Cause it's Ma's birthday!" Brian informed him. Colleen gave her brother an angry look even though she was standing behind him and Mathew rolled his eyes. "Whoops." Brian realized his mistake too late. But Sully wasn't just anybody! He was real good at keeping secrets. He kept secrets for Cloud Dancing and the Cheyenne all the time. Besides Miss Kathryn already knew, so she'd probably tell him anyway. "It's a secret." Brian added. "don't tell nobody."

"We're trying to think of a good present for her." Mathew said. Sully was one of Dr. Mike's good friends, maybe he could help them come up with a good present.

"So, why don't you marry our Ma, and become our Pa?" Brian suggested. It made sense to him. He and Ma were good friends and Miss Kathryn was his sister who was also Dr. Mike's good friend. If Sully and Dr. Mike got married, everyone could be one big family.

"Brian!" Colleen scolded. Honestly she had no clue where her brother got his ideas from.

"Brian," Sully sighed. He crouched down low so he could look the boy in the eyes. Man to man, well Man to boy really. "It's not something you just do. It takes time."

"She's thirty five." Brian huffed. "She doesn't have a lot of time left."

"It's just that her mom sent her some stuff that was suppose to go in her hope chest." Mathew tried to explain where this was coming from.

"Hope chest?"

"Yeah." Mathew nodded. "And we started to think..."

"Wouldn't it be nice if she had somebody to share it with? Well besides us." Colleen clarified. "So, we're giving her a surprise party."

"You could dance with Ma." Brian thought.

"Well, I was planning on going out and checking my traps this week." Sully told them awkwardly. He took his now sharpened hunting knife and put it back in its sheath. "But I-I'll try to make it."

"Promise?" Brian questioned, suddenly excited.

"I said I'd try, Brian." sully snapped. Colleen and Mathew could tell he was getting annoyed with the boy's inappropriate questions.

"Don't you wanna be our Pa?" Brian asked sadly.

"Brian, you already got a Pa." Sully replied with a forced calm. "What I am, is your friend. And don't you forget that now. Thank's Robert E." He nodded politely to the blacksmith before walking off.

"Why'd you have to go and scare him like that?" Mathew reprimanded.

"Scare him?" Brian frowned. "Sully's not afraid of me, is he Robert E?" The Blacksmith chuckled.

"No, ah, that's not what he's scared of Brian." Robert E explained. "I ah...I believe when a man lives a certain way, like Sully, off by himself; it's hard for him to come back to something else. To someone else."

"Oh." Now Brian understood. Just like it was hard for him to get used to having a new Ma when his died, it would be hard for Sully to get used to having a new wife.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to snn7b, Kim and Michaela for you reviews of Chapter 10! I love reviews and I appreciate you taking time out of your day to leave them for me! I hope you guys enjoy this update! I'm hoping to have Chapter 12 out in a couple hours!**


	12. Chapter 12

An hour or so after Breakfast Kat and Dr. Mike found themselves working over a convulsing patient. He was twitching uncontrollably and in a considerable amount of pain, but he was still conscious and able to speak.

"When did you begin to feel ill Mr. Barton?" Dr. Mike asked her patient as Kat carefully cleaned out the wound on his neck.

"The day before yesterday." Barton managed to gasp out.

"Why did you wait so long to come in?" Dr. Mike frowned. From her experience it was always best to treat cases as soon as possible.

"Well I asked Jake, but he said it ain't nothing." Kat looked up at her friend who still wore a troubled expression.

"Is that where you got this cut?" Kat question, knowing what the Doctor was thinking.

"Yeah." Mr. Barton explained in a scratchy voice. "He cut me while I was getting a shave."

"Doc, this cut's infected. Jake was probably using a dirty razor."

"I suspect so." Dr. Mike sighed. "I've warned him about this before."

"Is that why I'm so sick?" Their patient trembled in the bed below them. "What have I got?"

"You're suffering from septicemia." Dr. Mike diagnosed.

"What the heck is that?" Barton growled. He didn't mind having a lady doctor but why did she have to be so damn technical all the time?

"That's blood poisoning, isn't it, Doc?" Kat knew someone who had died of blood poisoning before; it was painful but quick death.

"Blood poisoning? You mean he poisoned me?" Barton grew angry. "Why I oughtta..."

"Please lie down. We'll take care of Jake. Just as soon as you lie down." It took both Dr. Mike and Kat to get Mr. Barton to lay back in his bed. Once he was settled both women stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind them.

"I'm afraid he doesn't have much time." Dr. Mike whispered as they walked down the hall together.

"There's nothing we can do?" Surely they couldn't just let the man die.

"We can make him comfortable. And we can send for the Reverend but I'm afraid that's all."

"No." Kat shook her head. "That ain't all. I'll fetch Reverend Johnson for you, and then I'll have some choice words for Mr. Slicker."

* * *

 _"Hank!" Byron Sully called into the Saloon. It wasn't a particularly busy night. Myra was standing behind bar serving drinks to a couple of men sitting on stools. The rest of the occupants were gathered around a large table playing poker. Hank and Jake were among the poker players, and the latter gave Sully a polite nod before looking down at his cards. A stack of cash sat by the young barber's elbow._

 _"What can I do for you, Sully?" Hank looked up from his hand of cards. "You want in on the game?"_

 _"You know I don't gamble." Sully frowned._

 _"Yeah, well, you don't drink neither. And your sister ran outta here about an hour ago, so what exactly are you doing in my Saloon?"Hank tapped the table and the dealer slid a card over to him._

 _"I wanna pay off Kathryn's contract." The future mountain man replied confidently._

 _"You ain't got enough money for that." Hank laughed. Sully pulled out a wad of cash from his waist coat pocket and tossed it down on the table in front of Hank. The Saloon owner picked up the stack and counted it. "There's only enough here for about six months."_

 _"Six months?" Sully groaned. "It took me years to save up that money!"_

 _"I'll put in my winnings." Jake volunteered. He gathered up the stack of cash at his elbow and handed it to Hank. He flipped over his hand of cards and rose from the table. Hank added Jake's money to the pile and smiled._

 _"I don't need your help!"" Sully told Jake._

 _"Why not?" Jake crossed his arms. "Besides it's to help Kat not you."_

 _"I'd say you need all the help you can get, Sully." Hank shrugged. "You're still about two years short of paying off Kat's contract. Good luck with that." He laughed again._

 _"Add those two years to my contract." Myra volunteered from over by the bar._

 _"What are you going on about?" Hank yelled from his seat. A roar of laughter rotated through to poker players._

 _"I'm serious, Hank!"She insisted, stepping out from behind the bar with her hands on her hips. "Let Kat out of her contract and add whatever Jake and Sully can't pay for on to my contract. Kat's my friend and I want her to have a good life, a better life than this. You'll take care of her wont you?" She looked between Sully and Jake._

 _"Of course." Sully answered right away. "Why are you doing this?" He asked the young barber with crossed arms._

 _"Because..." Jake didn't want to admit his true feelings to Kat's brother, let alone air them in front of his poker buddies, but if it helped get her out of that troublesome contract..."Because I love her."_

 _"Love her?" Hank cackled. "Well I bet she don't love you back! Naw, first chance that little bird gets, she's going to fly the coop. Fine Sully, she's all paid for. you can take her stuff, she don't never have to come back. Mark my words Slicker, as soon as Kat finds out she can run, that's exactly what she's going to do."_

* * *

Kat stormed across the street into Jake's barber shop. The place was full, Loren and two other men were sitting on the bench by the door waiting for their shaves. A man, whose name Kat didn't know, was sitting in the chair being shaved by the Barber. She'd watched Jake shave the faces of enough men to know how to safely pull his hand away without hurting his customer.

"What do you think you're doing?" He snapped at her.

"When's the last time you sterilized your razors?" She asked.

"Now wait just a minute!" Jake said. "You know I've been Barbering most of my life and I've never had no complaints."

"That's right." Loren nodded behind them. He was getting mighty tired of this women storming in here all the time. "No complaints!"

"Besides I know this is clean!" The Barber continued. Kat put her hands on her hips and tried her best to restrain herself from smacking Jake clear across his face. How could he be so dumb?

"Have you disinfected it? Did you use the proper chemicals like Ray taught ya?" She demanded. In response Jake blow on the razor and wiped in on a nearby rag.

"There, now it's sterilized. You can go now." He huffed.

"No, no I can't go, Jake Slicker." The barber winced. What was she his mother? Calling him by his first name and everything. Furthermore he didn't really see what this had to do with her anyway. "Dr. Mike just had a patient die." _Die_? That caught Jake's attention. "Said he was a costumer of yours, a Mr. Barton?"

"What happened to ol' Harry?" Loren asked from his seat.

"He died." Kat repeated. "Blood poisoning."She crossed her arms over her chest. "Dr. Mike says she's warned ya before about cleaning your razors. And I know you know how important it is to clean them, heck you used to be the one to remind Ray how to do it properly. You can be mad at me for leaving ya. You can be mad about a lot of things, but you killed a man Jake, and there ain't no way to get that off your conscience. Take care gentlemen." Kathryn tipped her hat at the men by the door before walking back to the clinic.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you too Kim, Maria, snn7b, Judy, Michaela & [Guest] for your reviews of Chapter 11! I'm sorry that I always end at a "real good spot" as snn7b called it, but I'm a total sucker for cliff hangers! I like to think of them as like commercial breaks, they keep you wanting more, but they're also a great place to end if you need to put the story down for awhile! Also, Judy, I try to put in as much of my own content in as possible, but sometimes I think it's necessary to have a Chapter/Chapters that are basically the same as scenes from the show, just to keep my own elements grounded in the Dr. Quinn Universe, if that makes sense. I'm also hoping to work in more of Jake and Kat's backstory in these next few chapters since the _Happy Birthday_ is also the one where Jake goes on that awful drunken binder and almost dies from drinking rubbing alcohol. So in summery I hope you guys enoyed Chapter 12, I'll try to get thirteen out as soon as possible, but who knows when that will be! Thanks again for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following!**


	13. Chapter 13

Sully made his way over to the clinic to speak with his sister. Luckily Dr. Mike was out of town checking up on a few patients so he wasn't forced into an awkward exchange of pleasantries with her. Strangely though, Kat wasn't holding down the fort at the clinic either. In fact, the first floor was empty of doctors, patients or anyone else. So Sully headed upstairs and knocked on his sisters' door.

"Oh, It's you." Kat mumbled when she opened the door.

"Sorry, we're ya expecting someone else?" He asked. Something seemed off. Kat was often sarcastic or short with the other folks in and around Colorado Springs, but she usually went out of her way to be nice to Sully.

"Well," She sighed. "I'm half expecting Mr. Jake Slicker to come on over here and shout at me for scaring away all his customers."

"What did you do to scare away all Jake's customers?"

"He did it to himself really. See Dr. Mike and I lost a patient today." Kat sighed again. A shiver went up her spine just thinking of the trembling, dying man who had passed that morning. "A man named Harry Barton." Sully nodded. He knew the man that she was speaking of. "He got cut while Jake was shavin' him a few days ago, which isn't deadly. But Jake ain't been cleaning is razors right like he's s'ppose to. So Mr. Barton got poisoning of the blood from the dirty razor."

"And you went over to have a talk with Jake and your temper got the best of ya?" Sully guessed the rest of the story.

"I tried to talk to him all level-headed like you wouldda. But when I got there, an' I saw the shop was full...And of course ol' Loren Bray was there, he rushed to defend Jake. An' Jake was just so smug! He wiped his razor on a rag an' told me it was clean! A man died Byron. He's gone and it's all because of Jake." Kathryn shook her head. "I don't who he is anymore."

* * *

 _"Now no peeking!" Jake insisted. He had his hands on Kathryn's face, trying his best to cover her eyes from the surprise he was leading her to. Of course Kat wasn't peeking, she trusted Jake, but wherever they were smelled like Hay and grass so she assumed it was a field. "Okay. Okay." Jake mumbled nervously before she felt his hands pull away from his face. "Open your eyes."_

 _Kat did as he said and was truly surprised when she opened her eyes. They were in fact standing in a clearing not very far from town. Tied up to a pair of trees at one edge of the clearing were two horses. Kat recognized one of them as Jake's own horse which he had refused to name despite her urging him to. Standing next to old no-name was beautiful painted black and white mare. Smiling Kat reached out and stroke the nose of the creature. The horse snorted in response and nuzzled her hand with its velvet soft snout._

 _"You like her then?" Jake asked nervously._

 _"She's gorgeous." To be honest the saloon girl didn't know much about horses, except that the one in front of her was the finest she'd ever seen. "Where'd you get her?"_

 _"Ray got a bunch of him in an auction while he was out of town." Jake shrugged. "Gave her to me dirt cheap. And now, she's all yours."_

 _"Mine?" Kat gasped. "What on earth would I do with a_ _ **horse**_ _?"_

 _"Well ride it o' course!" The apprentice barber scoffed. "What else would ya do with it?"_

 _"Jake, I ain't got no need for a horse!" she laughed. "I don't even know how to ride one!"_

 _"Well, I'll teach you." He promised. "Starting right now. C'mon I'll help you get up there. See what you're going to do is just hook your foot through here..." He pointed to the stirrup on the side of the horse closest to them. How could she say no to him? He'd gone through so much trouble and he was grinning back at her with such a goofy smile._

 _"Oh alright." She agreed at last. "But if it's my horse, I get to name it." She insisted. "And you'll have to keep it boarded up with your horse. If Hank finds out I've gotten one of my own he'll think I'm trying to run off or somethin'."_

 _"I'm sure I can find room somewhere."_

 _"_ _ **And**_ _if you're going to teach me to ride, I want to learn the proper way like a man, not sidesaddle. " Jake opened his mouth to argue. She wanted to name the thing, fine lots of folks named their animals. She didn't want Hank to know he'd gotten her a horse. He could understand that, Hank had a tendency to overreact about small things. But she wanted him to teach her how to ride like a man? That didn't sit right with him."_

 _"Don't you go looking at me like that!" She huffed, her hands now resting on her hips."Who cares what the people in down think! You sure didn't last week when you told of Jimmy Olsen. All they'll say is that it's indecent!" Kathryn laughed. "My whole line of work is indecent!" Jake shrugged. He couldn't very well argue with her when she was right. Besides maybe he wanted a girl who was a little indecent. A little wild._

* * *

"Kathryn, I don't think Jake is the same person he was before." Sully supplied. "People think things 'round here never change. And while some things stay the same, we still get changes. lots of 'em. It's easy to lose who you are and over time it's possible to believe you're better off leaving your old self behind. And I think maybe that's what Jake's been doing. Then you came riding into town an' you keep reminding him of a life he'd forgotten about. Barging into his place of business every other day probably hasn't helped neither."

"I 'spose you're right. Maybe it would've been better if I'd never come back here in the first place."

"Now I didn't say that." He shook his head. "You done plenty of good since you come back! You helped Dr. Mike a lot. Given her a friend, someone she can confide it, trust. You help her with the kids all the time. Brian and Colleen have taken a special shine to ya. You're helping Myra and Horace by working fer Hank. An' you helped me a lot too. So don't say we'd all be better off without ya."

" I guess you're right." Kat shrugged. "But even if I wasn't here, Michael would always have you." She elbowed her brother playfully.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned with crossed arms.

"C'mon I see the way ya look at her. The way you protect her, an' how you _always_ seem to be 'round when there's trouble."

"What? I...I'm just being neighborly. Tryn' to be a good landlord." He fumbled for words. What was with everyone today? Sure he and Mike were friends, but couldn't a man an' a woman be friends without being harassed? Then again this was Colorado Springs. "Have you been talking to Brian Cooper? He seems to think I should be his new Pa."

"You would make a great Pa." Kat said. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and kissed him on the cheek. "I gotta go, Hank needs me to work tonight. Think about it, Byron Quinn...Or Mr. Dr. Quinn. Has a nice ring to it." She teased before heading out the door.

"What do you know anyway?" Sully waved her off as she sauntered down the hall.


	14. Chapter 14

_Sixteen year old Kathryn Sully stood behind the bar of Hank's saloon serving drinks to the patrons as they ordered. She liked working the bar best, there was always lots going on there and sometimes she could make a little extra cash if she shrugged her top down low. The patrons liked it when she served too, after all she was better on the eyes than Hank's gruff appearance. She was pouring a shot of whiskey for a man when the saloon doors rattled open. Kat looked up to greet the newcomer. It was the Barber's Apprentice from across the street, the one who'd given her the aspirin for her headache a few days ago. He looked nervous, he's eyes darted back and forth around the room like he was looking for someone._

 _"Afternoon, Mr. Slicker." She bobbed her head politely. He smiled back at her, happy to see a familiar face._

 _"Good Afternoon, Kat." He nodded and walked right up to the bar._

 _"What's brings you in here today?" She asked, setting down the bottle of Whiskey in her hand. She rested her elbows on the top of the bar, with her left fist propping up her chin. It was a trick she learned from Myra, it made men feel like you was listen to them and only them, like they were the only other person in the room._

 _"I 'd like a drink." He ordered with confidence. Kat nodded, lifting her head from her hand._

 _"What'll it be?" She gestured to the rack of liquor behind her. Jake squinted nervously at the rack. He'd never had a sip of liquor before and had no idea what the difference from one bottle to the other was. He decided to go the easy route, and pointed at the bottle by her elbow._

 _"I'll have some of that." He reached into his pocket and started to fumble around for money._

 _"Top shelf whiskey?" Kat asked, holding up the bottle by the neck._

 _"Sure." He agreed uncertainly. Why was she looking at him like that? She seemed concerned._

 _"Well, all right then." She shrugged. Kat produced a shot glass from beneath the counter and poured some of the rich honey colored liquid into it. "Drink up." She inviting, sliding the glass across to him. Jake slapped three dollars down on the counter before cautiously sitting at an open stool. He didn't drink the whiskey right away, instead he stared at it, like it might jump out and take a bite of him. Kathryn stared from him, to the small stack of bills and back up again. She laughed._

 _"What's so funny?" He looked up, glad for the excuse not to drink._

 _"You ain't never had a drink before have you?"_

 _"No I-I've had lots of drinks." Jake stammered, trying to sound convincing. She didn't seem to buy it for one second. He sighed and hung his shoulders. "What was your first clue?"_

 _"Well for starters, you looked nervous as heck coming in here. And you drastically overpaid." She handed the three dollars back to him."Tell you what, the first one's on the house."_

 _"Are you sure?" He looked down at the money. "I don't want you getting in trouble on account of me."_

 _"Consider it payment for that aspirin the other day." She suggested. Jake took the bills from her and stuffed them back in his pocket. She then pulled out a second shot glass and poured herself a shot. "Now the trick to this," She said picking up her glass, "Is to drinking down as fast as you can. Don't bother tryn' to taste it." Jake picked up his own glass and continued to stare it down. "We'll drink together on the count of three..two...one." At one they both tossed the whiskey shots back. Kat quickly slammed her now empty glass back down and made a sour face. Whiskey wasn't her drink of choice, but she could choke it down once in awhile. The same apparently could not be said for the young Mr. Slicker, who sputtered and gasped as he tried to swallow the liquor._

 _"Hey, Kat, no killing the customers!" Hank shouted from the other side of the room._

 _"Sorry Hank!" She hollered back, not really bothered by his shouts or Jake's sputtering. "Forgive me fur sayin' so Mr. Slicker, but I just don't think drinkin' is going to become a hobby of yours."_

 _"No," Jake managed to cough. "I don't think it is. Have you...have you got any water?" he choked._

 _"Oh sure." She rushed to pour him a tall glass of water, which he accepted gratefully._

 _"Ah, that's better." He exhaled, massaging his throat. "To be honest, I wasn't really comin' in for the drink. Thankfully." He coughed the last part out, mostly to himself._

 _"I see." Kat nodded. She leaned on her elbows once more."So what was it that brought ya' in today, Mr. Slicker?"_

 _"Please, just Jake." He insisted. He took another gulp of water and tried to steady his breathing. She was staring back at him, her chin resting on her fist. Her ocean blue eyes waiting patiently for him to respond. "I was hoping to find you." He finally confessed._

"Oh it weren't your fault Jake! I don't care what that woman says." Hank groaned from behind the bar. Jake was standing on the other side of the bar holding is head. Loren Bray was standing on the side of him, offering words of encouragement.

"No!" Loren was agreeing with Hank. "It was just an accident! Happens all the time."

"Not to me it don't." The barber groaned.

"Hey, why don't I let you shave me, right now?" Loren suggested. He pulled his young friend by the elbow, but Jake recoiled.

"LET GO OF ME YOU OLD FOOL!" He bellowed. Loren looked down at his mug of beer nervously. "Can't a man drink in peace?" He tossed back the remainder of his own.

"Sure, Loren mumbled. "Sure, Jake, anything you say." He abandoned his half-full mug at the bar and left the saloon, shaking his head. Kat stepped into the Saloon and watched the scene unfolding at the bar.

"I think you've had enough, Jake." Hank said.

"What are you my mother?" Jake slurred. "Now set 'em up!" He demanded. Kat was about to intercede when Myra came running from across the room. She flung an arm around her friend and smiled.

"Hey, Jake!"

"Hey." He nodded at her.

"Jake I hate to see you like this, worrying an' all. Loren's right you didn't mean to do anybody no harm..."

"Shhhh..." Jake placed a hand over her lips. "I don't feel like talking." He started to pull Myra away towards the rooms in the back.

"Jake, you're Hurting me!" Myra winced. "Stop, let go!" Immediately Hank leapt into action. He jumped over the counter of the bar and pried Myra away.

"No man-handling the merchandise!" The Saloon owner chastised as Kat ran over to asses Myra. Luckily her friend wasn't hurt, only shaken up.

"Or what?" Jake asked, he shoved at Hank but all that accomplished was to send himself staggering backwards.

"I don't wanna hurtcha." Hank threatened.

"Who's gonna hurt who?" Jake slurred. He gave Hank another drunken shove.

"Jake, knock it off! Go home, you're drunk." Kat barked. She stood in front of Myra protectively. The barber cast a dark glare in their direction before taking another shot at Hank.

"Who the hell is the whore for anyhow?" He asked. "Horace? Or maybe you're saving her for yourself?"

"Watch your mouth!" Hank threatened him again, this time picking Jake up by his vest. Jake fell to the floor, but he quickly scrambled to his feet.

"I DON'T NEED YOU!" He shouted at Hank before swiping a bottle off a nearby table. "I don't need any of you." He mumbled before swaggering out the door.

* * *

 **A/N: As always, thank you to Michaela, Kim and Maria for your reviews of Chapter 13! I'm glad to hear that y'all enjoyed it, and that I didn't disappoint! Please let me know your thoughts on Chapter 14! And yes, technically is should be "Mr. & Mrs. Byron Sully" but Kat was just teasing her brother after all! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

The following Sunday Kat found herself sitting in a church pew in between Dr. Mike and Mathew. She hated going to church. She had hated it long before she had come to Colorado Springs. It seemed to her that if God was out there, he shouldn't need his own building just for listening. Byron seemed to share this sentiment as he was very seldom found at church himself. When Kathryn had first came to Colorado Springs she'd been relived to learn that girls who worked for Hank weren't allowed inside the church. It made it easier for her and the young Jake Slicker to have some alone time together. After returning to town years later and becoming friends with Dr. Mike, she found herself in church more frequently than she had liked. She still didn't go to church every week like the others, preferring to stay in town and enjoy the quiet, but occasionally Brian or Colleen would persuade their friend to tag along.

This week in particular she'd been asked along by Mathew; who had suggested Dr. Mike might appreciate having her friend's support after receiving the broken dishes from her mother. Agreeing with the boy's logic Kathryn, regretfully, agreed to tag along. She honestly tried to listen to Reverend Johnson's sermon as he droned on about forgiveness and celebrating failures as a chance to grow. It was a bunch of nonsense. No one in Colorado Springs knew the first thing about forgiveness. Jake Slicker was a perfect example of that. As Kat thought of Jake she started searching the crowded church for him. After a few scans it became clear that the Barber had not come to church that morning.

"C'mon Miss Kathryn, we have to talk with Grace." Colleen had explained earlier that morning that she and her brothers were working with the rest of the town to put together a surprise party for Dr. Mike. Kat thought it was a great idea given Michaela had been feeling so down.

"I have an idea for a gift." Kathryn whispered as she and Colleen joined Emily and Grace over by Grace's wagon.

"Oh that's wonderful!" Grace agreed once she heard the idea. "I'll have Robert E start on it right away. And I've already got the menu planned." She announced proudly. Boston baked beans, Boston Chowder, and for dessert? Boston Cream Pie!"

"Are you sure that won't make her homesick?" Colleen frowned. She looked back at her adopted Ma over her shoulder.

"Nobody gets sick off my cooking." Grace insisted.

"Let's go Colleen." Kat said when she noticed Dr. Mike starting at their little group with concern. "We've kept the others waiting long enough. Let us know if you need help with anything Grace." Together the pair said their good-byes to Grace and Emily before Joining Dr. Mike, Mathew, and Brian.

"Do you two really think this is the proper place to be discussing such matters?" Michaela scolded as Kat and Colleen approached.

"What matters would that be now, Doc?" Kat asked, she and Colleen exchanged a confused look. What could Dr. Mike possibly think they were talking about?

"I know everyone's saying about me." The Dr. huffed. "That I'm an old maid."

"That's not what people are saying!" Colleen disagreed.

"Yeah!" Brian interjected trying to be helpful. "Nobody said nothing about the maid part!"

"Well, uh," Mathew said as he saw the Reverend nearing their little crowd. "You did say you'd go courtin' if someone were to ask you."

"Yes, I did." Michaela nodded stiffly. "But I don't want anyone asking me out of pity."

"Excuse me Dr. Mike," Reverend Johnson greeted her from behind. She turned and greeted him with a smile.

"Yes, Reverend?"

"I was just wondering if perhaps you would like to accompany me on a buggy ride this afternoon?"

"Oh, well, I-I promised the children a picnic this afternoon." She fumbled.

"We don't mind." Mathew shrugged.

"Miss Kathryn could take us!" Brian suggested. Kat began to think that this had been part of Mathew and Colleen's plan all along. She had seen the older Cooper boy talking with the Reverend outside of the church earlier that morning. It seemed incredibly suspicious now.

"I don't see why not." She agreed. "An' if you ain't back from your buggy ride by the time we're done I can always take them back to the clinic with me."

"Go have fun!" Colleen smiled.

"Alright then..." Michaela nodded feeling very much like her own children had set her up.

"Let's have a picnic!" Brian exclaimed excitedly. He started spreading a picnicking blanket out over the grass.

"Listen here now." Kat crossed her arms as the children continued preparing their lunch. "I don't mind helping surprise the Doc for her birthday, and I don't even mind keeping secrets for your three. But I will not help you play matchmaker."

"You think we planned to have the Reverend take Dr. Mike courtin'?" Mathew tried to sound offended.

"I think you planned this whole thing." Kathryn insisted. "Askn' me to church, whisperin' to the Reverend before the sermon..."

"We just want Dr. Mike to be happy." Colleen sighed.

"There are lots of ways to make someone happy." Kat explained. "For example that surprise party that you're thrown', she'll like that. You three need to focus on that, and stop trying to fix up your Ma with every man in town."

After their picnic, Mathew took Colleen and Brian home. During her own ride back into town, Kat realized that Dr. Mike and the Reverend were still on their buggy ride. Could it be possible Michaela was enjoying herself? Kathryn shook the thought from her mind. What a ridiculous idea. While Reverent Johnson may have been a good man, he wasn't exactly the right fit for the doctor. She needed someone with convictions and a strong sense of self. Someone like Byron Sully; who just happened to be wandering into Loren Bray's shop. So Kathryn hitched up her horse and decided to take a page out of the Cooper kid's book.

Entering the store, she pretended to peruse the candy display. This was something she did often enough so it wasn't a suspicious activity. Truth be told, you could see the whole shop from the candy display and it was a great place to do some sleuthing. Without moving her head, Kat began to search around the store for her brother. She had expected to find him off in the supply section of the store studying lengths of rope or other such things; since he usually only went to Loren's if he absolutely needed something. But Kat was surprise to see him standing in the fabric and sewing corner studying a gown Loren had displayed on a form mannequin.

"What are ya' looking at that for?" She asked as her curiosity got the best of her.

Sully looked around to see who was talking at him. Kathryn. He should have known, that girl had the subtle skills of an ox. To make matters worse, she'd just caused a scene. Now Loren and a few of the store's patrons were looking around to see what he had been looking at. He crossed his arms over his chest as she stomped over to him.

"Why you always gotta cause a scene?" He grumbled.

"Wouldn't have ta cause a scene if you weren't so secretive all the time." She shrugged. "You thinkin' 'bout buying that dress for Dr. Mike?" She guessed.

"I ain't buying no body no dress." He hissed before pushing past her and marching out the door. Although the confrontation hadn't gone quite as planned, Kat couldn't help but feel the Reverent may have some competition if trying to woo Dr. Mike.

* * *

 **A/N: sorry that it's been like a decade since I've updated! I've been busy with life and some other fics and such. But I'm back now, at lease for awhile. Thank you to everyone who's been kind enough to leave reviews in my absence! Please enjoy Chapter 15, I'll post again as soon as I can!**


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